The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-10-13

MenC at her expense No, no. IL was n tOrril
day for England, and the men came out OF
the dust of the maueuvers as black ms
chimney sweeps, and for their trouble they
were dined rs usual ON canned beef ana
vegetables
The naval review was a conSummate fail.
| ure and attended with serious catastrophes
uf late years there has been much doubt as ia
the efficiency of the navy, so there was a
widespread desire to see the vessels at close
range. Newspaper editors immediately busted
themselves in flaming the national pride.
though obliged ever and anon to make most
1lsquieting revelations. | see where Won
Americans get your easy going ways. 1t is
an Anglo-Saxon popularity. The British
taxpayer is rather inclined to chuckle
over the recent embarrassments of
the admiralty, though fully compre-
bending the serious meaning of the facts
that swords and bayonets bend up like tin
when used, and that naval maneuyers
through the bursting of guns, have been as
disastrous to life and limb as war with a
foreign foe. Yet it was a general surprise
that the Curlew, new, swift ship, immedi-
ately broke down and had to go into dock for
a thorough overhauling; that the Colingwood
had to steam into port with one set of engines,
the stuffing boxes of the others having col
lapsed; that the Ajax and Devastation had
collision in broad daylight and both nearly
foundered; that the Inf xble's high pressure
piston shank fell to leaking so that she could
not keep up her speed at the decisive moment
that the Colossus, one of the newest shipy
showed she could not stand the firing of hes
heavy guns; that three of the torpedo boats
RI had 70 =,
| three-sevenths of the fleet, sailing SLOWLY
about in queens weather. on calm seas,
with only imaginary foes, were at the end OF
one week hors de combat"
This graphic summing up of the army and
navy by the general was received with hearty
laughter.
"And yet" said our hostess, "The Standard
tells us that this is the best of all possible
fleets for the defense of the best of all Dos
sible islands, Well, we Anglo-Saxons are
slipshod, although we seem to get on in the
world"
"Yes," said the retired naval officer, "the
review was not only a signal failure, but it
illustrates the utter indifference Of ROYALTY to
the comfort and safety of the people. The
queen was two hours late in starting, so the
sailors who manned the yards were kept all
that time, like so many cormorants, up in the
rigging i'll the blazing sun. When her ROYAL
highness did appear she was greeted by the
firing of royal salute from all the vessels
The booming was, however, the death knell
of some of her subjects, who by an unhappy
accident were blown into eternity. Several
Others now lie at Melville hospital OF these
four will be permanently blind. One has his
hand blown off and the side of his body badly
mutllated. Some are terribly disigured,
Others have had legs and arms amputated.
But her majesty was honored, and what
avalls the lives of few privates in the navy!
Suppose dozen Battenbergs had been thus
suddenly dispatched to heaven, would the
reJoicin3s have proceeded Just the sameg
The tUI extent of that accident has not as
yet been half told If the people knew one
tenth OF what is going on behind the scenes
tie nation would be in a ferment of indigna-
zion"
ut is pertinent question" said the pro-
fessor, "and one that is being asked by prac.
tical people just now, what Victoria Regina
hos done towards our national development
that should entitle her to the loyalty of the
democracy. During the last fifty years
Great Britain has increased in wealth. in
tenn of national education; has added lustel
to all developments of literature, enriched
science with great discoveries, and with its
increased population has built up prosperous
colonies beyond the seas In achieving all
this what part has loyalty playeds Well, it
cannot be denied that her majesty and her
children have contributed their full share to
the population, though unfortunately only to
q ala =, -
tlat The Queens Journal has been an i'm
Mortal contribution to our literature, and it
. said novel from her fertile pen is now in
preparation. The royal lady can also claim
that she has signed acts of parliament for
fifty long years; that she has given state din.
ners and eaten them too"
"She has stood up" added our hostess,
IT'LL her back ached receiving representa-
tives of foreign governments, and even their
ladies, when the latter did not insult her by
appearing in high necked dresses. She has also
many time suffered with vertigo from lay
ing corner stones, and has opened building
after building, which thanllless task has only
been made endurable by receiving a hand
some commemoration gift. Surely here is
reason enough why her subjects should love
her,"
"Let us see," rejoined a member of parlia-
ment, "what reasons there are why she should
love her people. First she gets from them
over S2,OOO,0OO year, and about S7OO,OOO to
keep her palaces in order. Beside the queen
has an immense private fortune. She is
fabulously rich woman, no one knows how
rich, for she pays no income tax. And now
consider the charges for the royal nursery.
The princess royal gets in your American cur
rency $40, 900; the Prince of Wales 500, 900 and
$1,000 more from the duchy of Cornwall.
$1,000 for the colonelcy of the Tenth Hus.
sars; the Princess Of Wales gets $4,000; the
Duke of Edinburgh, Sl25,0OO; the Princess
Helena, O,O00; Princess Louise, $50 900: the
Duchess Of Teck, 1000; the Duke of Con
naught, $l25OOO; the Duchess of Albany.
10000, and then long line of the queens
relatives are pensioned. In view of thig
bountiful provision there is no reason why
the reigning family should not feel iubilant."
"But it would have been more patriotic
said the clergyman, 'if there had been some
thing done in the interest of the people.
-Four hundred pounds, given mostly in penny
contributions by working women as an offer
ing to the queen, was expected to come back
to the nation in the form of some great char
Stv Dut NOTHING ic hand yF